Gem & Bolt
Gem & Bolt Mezcal is produced by a fourth-generation Master Distiller in Oaxaca, Mexico using EspadÃn Agave and fresh mountain spring water. However, as one of the first mezcal producers to include botanicals in their distillation process, Gem & Bolt Mezcal sets itself apart with the use of Damiana, an ancient botanical believed to possess adaptogenic (and aphrodisiac) qualities. A flowering bush native to Mexico, the beloved and uplifting herb naturally complements the heart-opening properties of mezcal.
Like AMASS, Gem & Bolt Mezcal is a clean, additive-free spirit with a female-founded heritage and botanical focus. In adding Gem & Bolt to our portfolio, AMASS streamlines our expansion into the mystical world of mezcal, an exciting frontier that comes with a shared ethos of plant-powered craftsmanship.
Gem & Bolt has already built a loyal customer base, proving good traction in key markets at top accounts across the US.
Philosophy
Centuries ago, in pre-Hispanic Mexico, a lighting bolt struck the gem of the maguey plant, roasting and fermenting sugars, and out poured the sacred and mystical sap known today as mezcal. Today, Gem & Bolt is a clean, additive-free mezcal with a female-founded heritage and botanical focus. Originally founded as a passion project between two artists—looking simply to share their favorite spirit among friends—Gem & Bolt is now distilled and bottled by generational palenquero families in Oaxaca, Mexico. With high standards of tradition and authenticity central to Gem & Bolt’s mission, our mezcal is proudly certified ‘Mezcal Artesanal’ by the Consejo Regulador del Mezcal (CRM).
Practicing the art of marrying mezcal with botanicals, Gem & Bolt sets itself apart by distilling together with Mexican Damiana Aphrodisiaca. A flowering plant native to Mexico, Damiana was originally considered sacred by the Maya and Aztec, who believed it possessed mood-elevating qualities that could boost virility. In modern Oaxaca, the plant is still highly regarded for an ability to enhance social connection. During the distillation process of Gem & Bolt, baskets of dried Damiana are placed directly into the mezcal stills, allowing the liquid to pass through its leaves as its temperature rises; the aromatic herb softens the mouthfeel of the spirit while naturally complementing the heart-opening properties of mezcal.
Biography
Our mezcal is crafted in partnership with three families across the state of Oaxaca, all who have worked in mezcal production for generations. Each family operates out of their own palenque, using traditional methods and regionally-sourced agave plants to craft small batches of liquid. This allows the Gem & Bolt brand to grow as mindfully as possible. Together with our palenqueros, Gem & Bolt supports fair wages and provides advance pay to ensure job security and sustained livelihood for our partners.
The relationships with our producers were first established by Gem & Bolt’s Director of Operations, Vicente Reyes, himself a Oaxacan native and lifelong friend of the founding partners. Vicente’s career has been focused on building the mezcal industry in a sustainable, responsible way, ensuring a positive future for this ancient practice as the demand for mezcal explodes. He is a founding member of the Hermano Maguey collective, a group committed to building partnerships with growers and producers in a way that promotes economic autonomy within the community. This collective includes a communal agave farming program that ensures fair pricing, support for traditional practices and sourcing methods, and sustainability initiatives with agave fibers (a by-product of mezcal production).
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